What's going on in the corrupt and captivating world of sports? To get an update, Berlin-based journalist Dave Braneck comes back on the pod to discuss the rise of women's football/soccer, various corrupt dealings in the men's game, and why American sports are colonizing Germany.

-Follow Dave here: https://x.com/braneck

-Read Dave's work here: https://www.davebraneck.com/work

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Hoasted by Ted. Edited by Nick. Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

The politics of memory is everywhere in Germany. To discuss how Germany selectively uses the history of WWII and the Cold War--and how the memories of these events are invoked abroad--Ted speaks with Berlin-based journalist Alexander Wells about the politics surrounding the bombing of Dresden, the DDR and Stasi, and the heroic "dissident." Plus, how Australian tourists in Europe relate to all this.

-Read Alex's pieces on Dresden here, the Stasi here, Aussies in Berlin here, and WWI here.

-Check out his website here: https://sites.google.com/view/ajbwells

-Listen to our past episodes on the "Clean Wehrmacht myth" here, and historical tourism in Berlin here.

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Edited by Nick. Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

**UNLOCKED premium episode 40, now available for all listeners. Support us here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠**

Germany's material and rhetorical support of Israel has long been unyielding, even in the face of genocide charges from international organizations and other European countries' growing condemnations of it's conduct in Gaza. However, in the last few weeks, a growing chorus of German politicians and media figures have begun to finally criticism Israel. Is something finally changing?

To answer, Ted speaks to German journalist Hanno Hauenstein (@hahauenstein), a rare media figure with actual expertise in the region and an important voice of reason in Germany's (to date virtually non-existent) Israel debate. They discuss the history of pro-Israel Staatsräson, the radicalization of the concept after October 7, and why the conversation might be now changing.

Read Hanno's Substack here: https://hannohauenstein.substack.com/

Listen to our episode with Daniel Marwecki (which we reference multiple times) here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/spassbremse/episodes/52---Whitewashing-and-Statebuilding-German-Israeli-relations-wDaniel-Marwecki-e2dgpn5/a-aaovn89

Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Edited by Nick.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

**FIRST SPAßBREMSE VIDEO PODCAST**

GroKo is back! But now it's far less "great" than before. To explore what to expect from the new German government, Ted speaks with Astrid Zimmermann (@zimmermann.av) of Jacobin Germany (@jacobinmag_de).

-Watch the first Spaßbremse VIDEO PODCAST here: ⁠https://youtu.be/HdskRf_FmBI⁠

Read her articles here (German): ⁠https://jacobin.de/autoren/astrid-zimmermann⁠

Read her latest piece on GroKo here (in English): ⁠https://jacobin.com/author/astrid-zimmermann⁠

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

GroKo is back! But now it's far less "great" than before. To explore what to expect from the new German government, Ted speaks with Astrid Zimmermann (⁠@zimmermann.av⁠) of Jacobin Germany (⁠@jacobinmag_de⁠).

-Watch the first Spaßbremse VIDEO PODCAST here: https://youtu.be/HdskRf_FmBI

Read her articles here (German): https://jacobin.de/autoren/astrid-zimmermann

Read her latest piece on GroKo here (in English): https://jacobin.com/author/astrid-zimmermann

*****

Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

As a follow up to our previous episode on the "fascism debate", writer John Ganz argues for the "yes" side, addressing the points Danny Bessner and other critics have made. He and Ted discuss parallels between the current far right and interwar fascism, suggesting there are important similarities we can learn from.

Listen to part 1 (episode 66) here: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/fjeZVKb9ASb

Buy John's book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374605445/whentheclockbroke/

Read his Substack here: https://www.unpopularfront.news/

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Over his long career, Friedrich Merz has gone from rising CDU star to Blackrock executive and back to the very top of German politics. To discuss his trajectory—and the country's likely future—Ted speaks with NYC-based journalist Lukas Hermsmeier to discuss the "back to the future" qualities of Merz's political outlook.

Read Lukas' NYT piece on Merz here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/opinion/friedrich-merz-germany-chancellor.html

Follow Lukas here: https://bsky.app/profile/lukashermsmeier.bsky.social

Read one of the scary pieces on Germany and the A-Bomb here: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/deutschland-welt/braucht-deutschland-eigene-atomwaffen-analyse,Ug5NOIk

Watch Merz's retro campaign ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxuJekayt0M&ab_channel=FriedrichMerz

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Is America (and Europe) descending into fascism? And can the term ever be applicable outside the specific historical context of interwar Europe? To review the "fascism debate" of Trump I and revisit it given the political shifts in the US and Europe since 2020, Ted speaks with Daniel Bessner of the American Prestige podcast. Danny is a firm "no" and he tries to stop Ted from drifting into the "yes" camp. Listen and decide for yourself.

Read Danny's piece in TNR here: https://newrepublic.com/article/170890/does-american-fascism-exist

For one of the prominent "yes" voices, see John Ganz here: https://www.unpopularfront.news/p/the-march-on-rome-one-century-later

See the meme Ted made that (re)started the conversation: https://x.com/ted_knudsen/status/1899556117916573975

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Support us on Patreon here to listen to the full thing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠

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What does "military Keynesianism" portend for Germany and the world? On this subscriber-only episode, Ted breaks down the recent momentous changes in German attitudes toward debt and defense, with Merz's rewriting of the Schuldenbremse and a massive infrastructure and defense fund on the agenda.

Listen to Tooze and Pistor here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whP2OD-VUQc&ab_channel=GlobalThoughtCU

See Ted's TV appearance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikRr82K91Uw&ab_channel=Roundtable

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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Written and produced by Ted Knudsen. Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Where does the international relations concept of "realism" come from? Can it be useful for promoting a progressive politics? Or does it support a more imperialist worldview? To discuss, Ted speaks with Matthew Specter of UC Berkeley about his book The Atlantic Realists. They discuss how the school of thought formed and what types of foreign policy mistakes it condemns—as well as other sins that it may condone.

Buy his book here: https://www.sup.org/books/history/atlantic-realists

*****

Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse